


Mother Knows Best

by Sixylicious



Series: To Defy Death [8]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Dark Brotherhood - Freeform, Gen, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-19
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-12-04 00:34:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11543733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sixylicious/pseuds/Sixylicious
Summary: Upon the assassination of the supposed emperor in Castle Dour, Khati's escape is thwarted by a familiar foe with devastating news.The destruction of the Falkreath Sanctuary, retold.





	Mother Knows Best

**Author's Note:**

> Please tell me if you think my rating or warnings need changed.

The blood in the Khajiit's veins felt like ice as Commander Maro spoke. He'd been betrayed? Astrid... had betrayed him? She'd given him up to the Penitus Oculatus, gave them permission to kill him, all in the hopes that they would be left alone. She had thought he was that much of a threat?

"But then I thought," Commander Maro continued, his grin widening, "Why bother? You killed my only son! I could just wipe your little family out. So my men are on their way to your sanctuary now to do just that."

Khati growled and lunged for the Imperial, only to be stopped by Maro's agents between them. He was outnumbered eight to one and wounded already; the odds weren't in his favor, the Khajiit knew that. He also needed to return to Falkreath to protect the others. It was his fault they were in danger.

"Sleep with your eyes open," he spat, "Because I swear on the corpse of your son that you haven't seen the last of me. I'll enjoy killing you."

Before Commander Maro could respond, Khati sheathed his swords and leapt from the side of the bridge, causing the people in the street below to scream. He rolled in midair and landed on a rooftop, jumping from there to the ground and making a dash for the gate. Commander Maro watched from above, a satisfied smile still on his face.

"No, no, let him get away... He'll never survive what I have planned for his family."

"You aren't worried about his threat, sir?"

Maro laughed. "If he comes back for me, he'll pay. I'm not afraid of him."

***

Shadowmere galloped like the flames of Oblivion were licking at her ankles, and Khati made the day and a half long trip in almost half that. To his horror, the body of Festus greeted him, pinned to a tree outside the sanctuary with so many arrows he was almost unrecognizable. The Khajiit let out a roar more animal than man and burst through the Black Door, his twin swords drawn. The Penitus Oculatus agents in the first room didn't stand a chance, not after Khati spotted the body of Veezara on the ground. Where were the others? Arnbjorn, Gabriella, Babette, Nazir?

The Khajiit ran down the stairs in time to see a Penitus Oculatus agent bury their sword in Arnbjorn's chest. The werewolf let out a mixture of a howl and scream before he fell to the ground and then all Khati could see was red. Arnbjorn's murderers easily fell in his bloodlust, the one who had landed the killing blow being decapitated with a single strike of the Khajiit's sword. He ran through the halls into the alchemy lab, where Babette, Festus, and Gabriella could usually be found. Babette was nowhere in sight, but Gabriella lay dead beside the arcane enchanter, one of the Penitus Oculatus still standing over her. Khati killed him with a spell Festus had taught him, turning the man inside out and then setting him on fire so he would suffer even more.

The sounds of fighting from the kitchen caught Khati's attention. Inside, Nazir and the Penitus Oculatus leader had blades locked, and Khati could immediately sense that Nazir was tiring. The Khajiit let out a battle cry and flung himself at Nazir's opponent, burying one blade on each side of his heart.

"Nazir, you're alive," Khati gasped. "Thank Sithis. Where's Babette? Where's Astrid?"

"I don't know, but we need to get out of here. The whole place is going to blow!"

The sleeping area was blocked by rubble, so they dashed back out to the main room. Khati paused and headed up the stairs to the Night Mother's chamber, drawn in by something he couldn't explain.

_'Come my son, embrace me. I will protect you.'_

Khati threw himself into the coffin and felt the doors close around him.

_'Sleep...'_

Outside, Nazir turned around to make sure Khati was behind him only to find himself alone. Before he could go back, a great explosion occurred and the Falkreath sanctuary was no more.

***

"He's here, I'm telling you! Dig faster!"

Nazir groaned and pulled another rock away from the Night Mother's coffin, now lying in the pond below what had once been a window. It had been thrown from its room in the explosion, but Babette insisted Khati was alive inside it, so he was digging. "I don't see you helping, you stupid she-devil."

Babette scoffed. "I'm not exactly built for physical labor. Look, you're almost there. Just a few more!"

Nazir hauled away the last few rocks and collapsed nearby as Babette opened the coffin to reveal Khati inside, lying next to the Night Mother. As she watched, the Khajiit stirred and opened his eyes.

"Babette? You're alive? Nazir?"

"I'm right here, Listener," Nazir said. "You gave us quite a scare."

_'You must find Astrid... She still lives.'_

Babette helped him out of the coffin and Khati rubbed his forehead. "The Night Mother just told me Astrid's alive..."

_'She is within the sanctuary. Go to her.'_

As if pulled by an invisible thread, Khati headed for what had once been Astrid and Arnbjorn's room. Nazir and Babette followed. Where the bookcase had been was now a hole leading to a secret room. Inside lay Astrid, surrounded by candles, her body burned almost beyond recognition. Khati knelt beside her, his expression utterly broken.

"Astrid..."

Her voice was raspy, her throat damaged from the smoke and flames. It was obvious she did not have long to live. "Let me explain," she whispered, "Please... I'm sorry. I never meant for this to happen. I have made so many mistakes... The tenets, they guided us for centuries and I abandoned them. I was a fool to oppose them. I was a fool to oppose you, to oppose the Night Mother. I know that now. I just... wanted things to stay how they were."

Khati reached out to touch her shoulder, only to have the skin flake away beneath his hand. Astrid inhaled, her voice becoming even weaker as she continued.

"My crimes are unforgivable. Sithis will judge me accordingly. Please, Khati... my last wish. You lead them now. Rebuild our Family to honor what I did not. Don't let them all have died in vain."

Khati swallowed, emotions welling up within him faster than he could identify them. "I swear it... I will lead them to heights we have not seen in centuries."

Astrid's smile was weak. "I performed the sacrament... I am the sacrament now. Take my blade of woe and kill me. Send me to our Dread Father. I am ready. Someday... I hope you can forgive me."

Khati smiled sadly and reached for the blade of woe that lay beside her. "Sleep well, Astrid. We will meet again in the Void."

Astrid closed her eyes for the final time as Khati sunk the blade of woe into her heart. Once she was gone, he pulled it out and turned to leave without a word. Maro would pay for this if it was the last thing Khati ever did.


End file.
